www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Parish Life & Evangelization St. Elias Services

Dear KL,

Good point, Big Guy!

And didn't St Paul himself speak to this when he said that everything is sanctified by prayer and the Word of God?

The Celts were famous for "saining" or Christianizing/sanctifying pagan practices (such as holly and ivy, by the way) by making a Sign of the Cross over them etc.

Alex

Christ is Risen!

I'm just asking how the Church explains/theologises these ex-pagan rites/foods.

That is what I meant by my question about how the Church "baptises" them, i.e. re-understands them in the Christian context.

XB & Joyous Bright Friday.

Herb

Dear Herb,

Oh!

Sorry . . .

The kolbassa is simply seen as another acceptable form of meat, along with lamb etc.

I once read an Old Believer explanation about eating pork meat, that was formerly forbidden by the Old Law.

It said that Christ abolished the Old Law with His New Covenant and so this was now acceptable.

The hahilky dances are interpreted to be like the dancing of King David before the Ark of the Covenant, the dance of spiritual rejoicing in response to Christ's invitation to us to "rejoice" at His Resurrection that makes ours possible.

It's all in the interpretation!

A joyous Bright Friday to you as well!

I'm going to gorge myself on meat at my in-laws tonight!

I take Easter very seriously you see . . .

Alex

XB!

WOW!

Now THAT'S theology!

Yeah, I too heard something about the Old Believers and how the Christ somehow sanctified pigs - in fact I think I saw it in an NFB film on the StaroVery! (their version of the sign of the Cross (not just the Xptogramme but also that they seem to end up with the fingers down at the navel again) seems really cool too!)

I agree completely! I think the obligation to feast is just as compulsory as the obligation to fast!

Joyous Bright Weekend! (TGI"B"F)?

Le Christ est resucite!

Herb

ps: that you feasted on Fish during Bright Week, just proves that your monoker describes you accurately O Orthodox Catholic one! XB!

Dear Herb,

XB! + BB!

Actually, I think the Old Ritualists bring their arm down to their side which can look like their bringing it down to their navel again . . .

I showed that film you mention to my religion class and they all loved it!

Especially all that frolicking with the girls when the elders weren't watching . . .

They've done studies on the influence of religiosity on women in Latin America and found that it does give them, among other things, a better enjoyment of sexuality.

It's too bad you couldn't attend some of my religion classes . . .

(Some teachers did sneak in at the back at times, but only when they knew exactly what the Topic of the Week was going to be . . . ).

Alex

And what's this "Artos" thing all about? Is it a Paska? Is it a big Prosphoron? Is it ever eaten? Is there a ritual for the distribution/eating thereof? Where does it come from? What does it mean?

Christ is Risen!

Herb

Dear Herb,

Yes, the Artos is like a big paska and is covered with a representation of the Resurrection of Christ - the Bread of Life.

It is kissed and then divided up for people to eat on St Thomas' Sunday.

Alex

XB!

I understand that the Artos is blessed with a special blessing both on Pascha and on Thomas Sunday. And as you point out, it is even venerated!

Any idea as to its theological significance? Its origin?

I imagine there is some special way/solemnity in which it is distributed and/or consumed.

Christ is Risen!

Herb

Dear Herb,

"Artos" means "yeast-risen bread" in Greek and is blessed on the night of Pascha.

It symbolizes the Risen Christ and remains on an analogion before the Royal Doors, and is carried in daily Paschal Processions.

ON Bright Saturday, it is broken into pieces and distributed to the faithful.

People beleve that the Artos and the Theophany Holy Water can be a possible substitute for Holy Communion, if actual Holy Communion is not available.

Artos, like Prosphora and antidoron, are to be eaten on an empty stomach.

Artos, by tradition, is to be consumed daily, little piece by little piece, over the course of an entire year, from Pascha to Pascha!

Here is a prayer before consuming blessed Bread and Holy Water:

O Lord my God, may Thy Holy Gift and Thy Holy Water be unto the enlightenment of my mind, unto the strengthening of my spiritual and physical powers, unto the health of my soul and body, unto the taming of my passions and weaknesses, according to Thy limitless mercy, through the prayers of Thy Most Pure Mother and of all Thy Saints. Amen.

Alex

Alex

XB Alex!

That is So Cool!

You never cease to amaze!

But, are we talkin' about miraculous Bread here? If every parishioner gets a piece of the Artos - is the piece big enough to last the entire year (not to mention it going stale, etc.)

In any case, still COOL!

Herb

ps: apparently the Artos at St. Elias has a terrific Seal depicting the Resurrection, instead of the more common (in some Ukrainian parishes) metal icon shield thing tied on it.

Dear Herb,

I guess you would need a good-sized piece of the Artos to cut away at it daily for a year.

But it is possible - one may communion of it using the smallest particle. In the same way, the blessed willows from Palm Sunday are kept in the Icon corner all year and so are the blessed candles from the Feast of the Meeting ("Candlemas") and the Holy Water from the Theophany.

Poppy-seeds are blessed on August 1st, our Administrator's birthday, FYI, the Feast of the Maccabees ("Mak" in Ukrainian is "poppy-seed") and are kept until the Nativity.

Yes, St Elias is a great parish, and even a model parish.

But we shouldn't overly exaggerate its greatness . . .

Alex

Gentlemen Please.

St. Elias is a humble Christian community that endeavors to serve God in the fullest way possible.

Nothing more, nothing less.

There is no greatness here.

This thread was started just to let the outside community know about our Pascha schedual.


defreitas

Dear Jose,

Humble, but touchy, no?

O.K., I'll get back to work.

Alex

XB!

From what I have seen on the Forum re St. E., it would indeed be difficult to exaggerate their greatness!

And their humility (cf. di Freitas' posting) makes them seem Even More Great!

Christ is Risen! (and viva St. E.!)

Herb

And while we're at it, we could never exaggerate A-OC's greatness either!

Amazing, Alex: the prayer (you posted above) before consuming Holy Water and Artos, blessed prosphora, and/or antidoron was included by my OCA priest in this Sunday's bulletin in an article he wrote entitled: WHAT IS ARTOS?

OrthodoxEast